Superwomen of Eva: Triple Threat
by orionpax09
Summary: When Gendo trapped Naoko inside of Unit 00, he thought it was the end of her. However, madness has a way of coming back to haunt you. And Naoko is quite mad...


Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to Marvel Comics or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

"MAGI Casper, MAGI Balthasar, MAGI Melchior," Naoko Akagi intoned, pride filling every word she spoke. She and her daughter Ritsuko were standing on the bridge at the GEHIRN base in Tokyo-3, admiring the result of her genius, the culmination of everything she had worked towards as a scientist. "The MAGI represent the three aspects of myself; as a scientist, as a mother, and as a woman. The three that make up one whole."

"The three faces of my mother. Now all we need to do is turn the power on," Ritsuko smiled, at which Naoko nodded. "Just you know…I'll be leaving early today. Misato just got back."

"Misato? Oh, yes, I'd heard she'd just joined GEHIRN," Naoko replied. "In Germany, if I recall."

"Yes, she's with the Third Branch," Ritsuko responded.

"So, she's having a long distance relationship," Naoko smiled.

"Actually, things didn't work out with Kaji, and…they broke up," Ritsuko explained as she gathered up her paperwork.

"They broke up?!" Naoko repeated in disbelief. "But…they always seemed like such a perfect couple!"

"There's very little logic in the interactions between men and women."

"You're always so cool and analytical about things like that," Naoko smiled at her daughter's words. "Aren't you afraid of losing your chance at happiness?"

"First, I need to find a definition of happiness," Ritsuko responded. "Remember, it's been a while since I went out on a date."

"Well, have a good one," Naoko said to her daughter, even as she left. Then, when Ritsuko was gone, the chief scientist of GEHIRN looked down at her masterwork.

_This is what it means to be a scientist, Ritsuko,_ Naoko thought proudly, just as she heard the door hiss open again. Her eyes widening in surprise, she turned about, thinking that her daughter had returned for something…only to see a tiny girl standing in the door.

_Rei Ayanami,_ Naoko hissed, clamping down on the hatred she felt for the albino girl. The girl that Gendo took care of. The girl whose past had effectively been erased. The girl who looked so much like Gendo's wife, Yui. Then, struggling to remain civil, Naoko smiled and asked, "Oh, Rei. Did you need me for something?"

"I lost my way," the girl replied simply, as was usual for her.

"Is that so?" Naoko asked. "Well, then, do you want to come with me?"

There was a pause before Rei finally answered, "No, thanks."

This caught Naoko by surprise. "But…how will you get home all by yourself?"

"That is none of your business…old hag."

Several seconds passed before Naoko was able to speak. "Old hag?"

"I can find my by myself…old hag," Rei explained, her voice never changing.

_Old hag?!_ was Naoko's first thought, taken aback by the insult. On the one hand, she was stunned that the girl was even capable of _making_ an insult. On the other… "You _shouldn't_ call someone an old hag, Rei," she explained, rapidly running out of patience with the tiny girl.

"But…aren't you an old hag?" Rei asked, in the same exact monotone.

Frowning, Naoko abandoned her attempts to remain civil. "I'm getting mad, Rei. I'll have Commander Ikari spank you for this, you miserable little…"

"The commander is the one who calls you that," Rei explained, smiling in delight as she did. As Naoko gasped in shock, the albino continued. "He says things like, 'That old hag is annoying', 'That old hag is so bothersome', 'That old hag'…"

Rei went on, unaware that Naoko couldn't hear her anymore. All she could think about was her relationship with Gendo, the affair she had been having with him even when Yui was still alive. She thought about how much she had loved him, and now, this miserable little freak who looked like _Yui_ was standing there, lying right to her face…!

"You miserable little _bitch!_ How _dare_ you!!" Naoko roared, her rational mind gone as she pounced upon the tiny girl, choking the life out of her.

It was only later, when she awakened from the fog of her rage, when she saw Rei dangling lifelessly from her hands, that Naoko realized what she had done. The woman in her had been betrayed by both Gendo and Rei, turning Naoko into a murderer. As the mother in her screamed in horror at what she had done, Naoko panicked, for the scientist in her knew what would happen when she was found. Her life would be utterly destroyed by her lover, and she would spend the rest of her life in jail, stained forever by this one act of madness.

So she destroyed herself instead.

Unknowing that Ritsuko had come back and had seen everything, Naoko threw herself down upon the MAGI that she had created…and died. But her death was not the end for her.

It was only the beginning…

* * *

Years passed after Naoko killed herself, and her soul was placed within the Prototype Evangelion known as Unit 00. Years in which she forced to endure the ravages of being completely alone, except for one thing; a tiny shard of the soul of Rei Ayanami, the girl she had slain. The girl Gendo had created, and had cloned, slowly shaping her for his own purposes. A tiny fragment of Rei's first incarnation, completely devoid of sentient thought, and incapable of doing anything…except watching Naoko fume, and vent her frustration and loathing of Gendo, Yui, and the second Rei Ayanami. Watching her claw helplessly at her cage, knowing full that there was no way out, and no one to talk to.

No one…but herself.

So as her loneliness and frustration mounted, talking to herself was what Naoko did.

It wasn't much at first; Naoko started out by saying simple things to herself, commenting on the odd events she happened to witness from within the Evangelion. But these conversations quickly bored her, and over the years, she began to refer to herself in different ways. Eventually, she thought about her ultimate masterpiece, the MAGI supercomputers, how she had divided them, basing each one on a different aspect of her own personality. Liking the irony of it, she began to think of herself in a similar fashion, as three separate personalities; the scientist, the mother, and the woman.

To reflect this, in the mental realm of the Eva, her own body was split into three. Each of them looking almost identical, and yet, each was subtly different. The scientist looked almost identical to the original form of Naoko Akagi, and yet her face was colder, reflecting her logical manner of thinking. The mother was slimmer, and had a gentler appearance. As for the woman, she was a picture of physical perfection, a sultry seductress who could have had any man she chose…if only her body were real.

The mother and the scientist spent their time together discussing matters with each other, while the woman usually kept her distance from the others. None of the three complained about this; the mother blamed the woman for their physical death, falling victim to the taunts of Rei I. As for the woman, she hated the conscience of the mother, and had no use for such morality, or for the scientist's keen logic. If it had been possible, she would have gladly killed the other two, along with the shard of Rei that was trapped inside with them.

As the three aspects of Naoko became more separate, the world inside the Eva began to mirror the separate personalities, with each of the three aspects having their own domains and dwellings. The scientist's domain was an elaborate laboratory complex, filled with scientific equipment and tools, an ideal setting for the pursuit of knowledge. The woman's domain looked like the cross-section of a massive metropolis, filled with seedy bars, restaurants, and clothing stores. The mother's world was of a gentle countryside with a large house painted in warm, gentle colors, the perfect place to raise a family. At the center of the three domains was a park in which the three could meet, should they actually desire conversation amongst themselves.

Then, one day, when all three aspects of Naoko were in the park, the mother was using one of the mirrors dotting it to observe the outside world, and happened to overhear Gendo. He was talking to the purple beast harboring the soul of Yui Ikari, and what he said made the mother gasp in shock. "Oh, no!"

"What is it?" the woman wondered as she lounged on one of the benches.

"It's Gendo," the mother informed her. "He was just talking about…how he was sleeping with our daughter! Using her the way he did us!"

"Ha! That stupid little whore!" the woman chortled. "Then she'll be tossed aside, the way we were! Maybe she'll end up in an Eva as well! It would serve the bitch right!"

"How can you say that about our _daughter?!"_ the mother cried out in pain.

"As far as I'm concerned, she isn't our daughter. She's officially become the 'other woman'!" the woman sneered. "Besides, it's not like _I_ ever wanted anything to do with her. All she ever did was get in the way. Going on about how she would prove herself as a scientist! Ha! As if she ever _could!_"

"You selfish, miserable whore! It was _your_ madness that left our daughter alone, and in that madman's power! It was _you_ who got us into an affair with him!" the mother shouted.

"Oh, and like you were _always_ there for her," the woman sneered. "Spare me the hypocrisy, bitch!"

"I _wanted _to be with our daughter! You know that!" the mother roared. "And you know full well that you helped _her_ overrule me!"

"Hey, she was in it for the business, I was in it for the pleasure," the woman grinned seductively. "Do you have any idea of just how much of pain it is, not having a man around to party with?"

"Cease your bickering," the scientist broke in, appearing from out of nowhere, causing the other two aspects of Naoko to look at him in confusion. As the scientist looked at the mother, she narrowed her eyes. "You said before that you heard Gendo speaking to Yui, within Unit 01."

The mother nodded. "Yes, I did. Why?"

"Because, before you mentioned what you heard, I had no knowledge of it. None whatsoever. I was completely dependant on you actually relaying that information before I was aware of it," the scientist explained. "However, in the past, we were always aware of what was going through the minds of each other. Whenever one of us learned something of the outside world, the other two quickly learned of it. This is especially true in this park, where the barriers between us are at their weakest."

"Hey, _I_ didn't know anything about it, either!" the woman jumped in shock. Narrowing her eyes hatefully, she stared at the mother. "Hey, are you holding out on us, bitch?!"

"I am not holding back anything," the mother protested. "I just…thought you two already knew. The same as always!"

"It seems that the division between ourselves is more…complete than we thought," the scientist noted. "Very interesting."

"Who cares if you think it's interesting?" the woman sniffed disdainfully. "As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't change much."

"Perhaps it doesn't, and perhaps it does. Perhaps it changes a great deal," the scientist mused.

"What are you saying?" the mother wondered.

"That three individuals working together can accomplish a great deal more than one individual," the scientist explained. "Though we were once one individual, with the passage of time, we have become more divergent. This could be a great boon."

"It would be great if I could actually get away from you two deadweights," the woman sniped.

"Allow to me explain," the scientist replied. When the woman looked away and sniffed dismissively, the scientist began to speak again. "As you may recall, when we were one, working as Naoko Akagi, we often had difficulty, remaining focused on the task at hand. Our individual aspects had differing views about what was most important, resulting in her becoming distracted."

"Yes," the mother agreed, sorrow creasing her face. "I…all I ever wanted was to be with our daughter, to take care of her…"

"And to tuck her in each night, sing her lullabies, tell her stories, and all that other boring crap," the woman snarled. "Me, I had other priorities."

"Like your next rendezvous with Gendo?!" the mother sneered.

"My _point_ is that, now that we are more separate, we are each more focused on that which we see as most important to us," the scientist explained. "For me, what is most important to me…is science. Knowledge. Discovery."

"Yeah, and ain't you lucky. You can do all of that stuff here, no problem," the woman snorted. "All I really want is a great guy, a bottle of booze, and a good body to enjoy 'em with."

"Yes, I could conduct my scientific research in here without distraction, if I could completely screen out the mental noise created by the two of you," the scientist explained. "If we are, as I now suspect, becoming more distinct, more separate, that should be possible. I can remain focused on one thing and one thing alone; devising a method for the three of us to escape from the Eva."

"And how exactly would we do that?! In case you've forgotten, our body is _dead!_ It's _impossible _for us to escape!!" the woman snarled hatefully.

"Impossible is a word that is frequently overused," the scientist objected. "Escape may be difficult, and yet…technology continually advances, and as for us…we have nothing but time. In any event, escape would seem to be our only hope for survival, given what we know about Ikari's scenario."

The woman and the mother both frowned at this. One of the parts of Gendo's plan, they knew, was for Rei Ayanami to die once again, and be reborn as a full Angel. She was to die in battle, by means of Unit 00 self-destructing, so the fragment of her soul that now resided with them could be rejoined with her. It would also result in their demise as well.

"Okay, fine. Go ahead and research all you want," the woman finally said. "How you decide to waste your time is your own business."

"Actually, my plan requires your services as well," the scientist explained, causing the other two aspects to stare at her in confusion. "While I'm focused on researching a solution to our…predicament, I need the two of you to begin building inroads throughout NERV. Computer pathways so that we may easily access anything we may need, when the time comes to act."

"But…_you're_ the scientist!" the mother pointed out.

"Yeah! What's makes you think we would want to do all that boring crap!? Or that we even _could?!_" the woman growled.

"We all share the same origin. We all have the knowledge that Naoko Akagi possessed, despite the differences in our persona," the scientist reminded them. "And as for why you would want to this…do you really want to die, to allow Gendo to do whatever he wants? Or do you wish a chance to have a body again, to be able to slake your desires, and obtain revenge upon Gendo?"

"Revenge? On that asshole? And to be able to feel like a woman again?" the woman spoke, smiling as she licked her lips. "Okay, I'll admit it, you've got a point. That _definitely _sounds like a plan!"

"And you…do you not want to be able to see our daughter again? To protect her, along with all the other children being menaced by both Gendo and SEELE?" the scientist asked.

"Our…_my_ daughter…and the other children…the ones that they'll make pilot these horrid monsters," the mother thought, her features hardening. "If I can protect them…then so be it. I'll do anything you wish."

"And as for myself…survival is paramount. I do not wish die, whether it be because of Gendo's plans, or those of SEELE," the scientist intoned. "Therefore, we are all in concurrence. Let us begin."

* * *

From that day forward, the scientist hid away from the other two, only appearing when she needed something from them, or they had something of importance to report. As for the rest of the time, both the mother and the woman worked, creating cybernetic pathways via the MAGI that would allow them to control them, even from within Unit 00. From there, it was relatively easy for them to expand those pathways to include all of NERV, even the depths of Terminal Dogma. The years slowly passed in this manner, though not always smoothly.

"_Must _you waste so much time watching those horrid movies?!" the mother asked the woman as she completed another set of pathways, the two of them coordinating their efforts from within the park. "Honestly, I don't see how you can stand such filthy smut!"

"That's because you're a mother hen, not a woman who hasn't had any excitement for far too long!" the woman sneered. "Besides, I do my share of the work! Or don't you think I've noticed how you're always checking on that phony blonde bitch?"

"Her name is Ritsuko, and she's _still_ our daughter, and if it weren't for your madness, we would still -!"

"Still be all together in one mind," the woman snorted. "Frankly, that's only good thing that's come out of our death so far. Not having you and the talking brain bogging me down is _such_ a relief!"

"That's enough, you two," the scientist declared as she appeared in the park. "You've both done what needed to be done. I now have full access to the entirety of NERV."

"Goody for you," the woman sneered. "Is it too much to hope for that you've also figured out some way for us to get out of this pit as well?!"

"Actually, I have already found a way for us to escape," the scientist informed them. "I'm making the final preparations, even as we speak."

"Really?" the mother gasped.

"Then…we're _really_ getting outta here?!" the mother demanded, incredulity writing itself across her face.

"Yes. I've been able to tap into the cloning lab that is being used to manufacture duplicates of Rei for the Dummy Plug System," the scientist explained.

"Ritsuko's invention," the mother commented, maternal pride in her voice.

"Eh, it's nothing compared to the MAGI," the woman sniffed.

"Be that as it may, it is also our salvation," the scientist told them. "By resequencing the genetic coding of three of the clones, they can be altered to resemble our original body."

"Bodies based on that little bitch who landed us here?!" the woman snarled. "Are you _outta your mind?!_"

"As I just explained, they will be altered, and the human portion of the genetic coding will based on our original DNA," the scientist insisted. "Also, by enhancing the Angelic portion of the DNA, we will each obtain Angelic powers. Those would be most useful in dealing with Gendo and SEELE."

"Yes. We will need to be ready to fight," the mother agreed.

"Hmm. Angelic powers, you say?" the woman mused, clearly warming to the subject. "And you're _sure_ we'll look like ourselves when we come out?"

"That is correct, though there _will_ be certain…variations," the scientist admitted. "Just as we three appear different, so will our new bodies be different, along with our powers."

The woman was silent for a time as she considered the scientist's words. "Just make sure you do a good job filling out my figure. And I don't want to look _anything_ like that albino freak!"

"How dare you!" the mother cried out. "Rei is being used by Gendo, just as we were!"

"Yeah, and he used _her_ to get us to kill ourselves! I say, when we get out of here, we return the favor!" the woman declared.

"That would be unwise, at least at first," the scientist cautioned. When the other two aspects looked at her, she elaborated. "Until Gendo and SEELE have been dealt with, we must not attract any undue attention. We cannot afford to be discovered, to tip our hands and give our enemies any advantage."

The woman frowned at this. "I hate it when you start talking sense," she grimaced. "Okay, fine, but after we're done with them, I'm going to rip out her heart and eat it!"

"No, you won't! I won't let you!" the mother countered. "That girl has already suffered too much. You will _not_ add to it!"

"Silence, you two!" the scientist declared. As the other two fell into silence, shooting hateful looks at each other, the logical aspect continued. "For now, let us focus on what needs to be done. Our escape must be our first priority. Anything else can wait until we have liberated ourselves."

"Agreed," the mother noted, though she continued to watch the woman with wary eyes.

The woman sniffed at this, crossing her arms as she looked away. "Fine. Whatever."

"Then we have concurrence," the scientist decreed. Then, with a wave of her arm, the scientist caused three-dimensional images to appear before each of them. "These are the new bodies which I created for ourselves. Each wields a different power, designed expressly for our needs and desires."

"So…that's going to be me, huh?" the woman mused, checking out every curve and feature of the body presented her, then checking to make sure that it was indeed the most attractive of the three. Then, licking her lips, she grinned. "Oh, yeah, I think I'm going to like this."

"You would," the mother said sourly, but then returned her attention to the image of her own new body. "This is…amazing! How did you manage to synthesize these bodies, these powers?"

"Fortunately, NERV collected DNA samples from several of the Angels, which I am able to use to influence the development of the new bodies," the scientist explained. "It will be awhile before our new forms are completed. In the meantime, I suggest we adopt these images, and begin practicing with our new capabilities. Once we are free, we will not have much time, lest we risk detection."

"That reminds me. How _are_ we supposed to get from the Eva to where our new bods are?" the woman demanded. "It's not like we can just get out and walk to them, you know!"

"On the contrary, that is _exactly_ what we are going to do," the scientist informed them. As the other two looked at her in bewilderment, the logical mind of the three explained her plan…

* * *

"We're just about done, Rei," came the voice of Ritsuko Akagi.

As Rei Ayanami looked about from the Entry Plug of Unit 00, looked upon Ritsuko's face, she felt a tremor running up and down her spine. _She…looks so much like her,_ Rei thought, for although it seemed it should be impossible, the day of her own 'death' remained vivid, despite being reborn into a new body.

"Understood," was all Rei would say in response. A couple days had passed since the battle with the 12th Angel, days in which all the Evas and equipment had been checked and then rechecked, simply to make sure every nut and bolt was functioning as it should be, in case another bizarre beast appeared that defied all known physics.

"Sempai, we're picking up some…anomalous activity from the nerve connections," Maya announced in a worried tone. Even as the technician spoke, Rei grimaced in pain, placing both hands upon her hands.

"Rei…what is it?!" Ritsuko cried out.

"The me…inside the Eva?" Rei groaned in pain, only to widen her eyes in shock. "No! It's…!"

"Rei, what is it?! What's wrong?!" Ritsuko demanded, her voice conveying her horror.

"I…" Rei started, only to relax, and lean back in the Entry Plug. "No, it's nothing. Everything is fine, now."

"Everything looks alright here as well," Maya agreed as the graphs reflected the return to normal status.

Though Ritsuko was grateful that Unit 00 wasn't running out of control again, she found herself frowning at the convenience of their return to normal status. "Rei, are you sure everything's alright?"

"Yes," Rei answered simply, a slight smile tugging at her lips…

* * *

A short time later, after Rei was done with her testing, she left the various technicians and workers in the pribnow box behind, and started towards Terminal Dogma. Unseen by anyone, the albino moved silently, her conscious mind asleep as the three components of Naoko Akagi guided her down into the depths. The splintered soul had used Rei's own synchronization, along with the fragment of the albino's soul that remained trapped within the Eva, to jump into her body and overpower her, something that would not have been possible if Rei's own soul had been complete. As it was, it took the combined concentration of all three to dominate her, lest they be rejected, and expelled prematurely from their temporary host.

Eventually, the three of them arrived at the lab that had provided them with their salvation. _Okay, we're here!_ the woman declared impatiently as they forced Rei to look at the individual cloning chambers. _Now, where are our new bodies?! All I see are a bunch of Reis!_

_Our new forms are camouflaged,_ the scientist explained, forcing them to look at the control panel. _As a precaution, I refrained from making the final adjustments to them, lest they be discovered prematurely. Now that we're here, I will complete the maturation process, and remake these shells in our images._

_You'd best hurry. I can feel Rei trying to awaken, and I don't want this poor girl to suffer needlessly,_ the mother spoke gingerly.

_I don't care about this worthless bitch, but she _is_ starting to wake up,_ the woman noted unhappily.

_All I need is a moment to work, and all will be in readiness,_ the scientist told them as she moved Rei to the control panel, entering a few key commands. _Fortunately, I have already uploaded all the needed programs. This will just take a moment._

_She's waking up!_ the woman cried out. _Hurry, damn you!_

_It is done,_ the scientist gasped, having been just in time as Rei struggled to make her way back to the surface. _Now, we must go to each of the cylinders and release ourselves into our new bodies. They will finish maturing quickly, and it won't be long before our new powers will become evident._

_Good! It's been too long since I've had a _real_ body!_ the woman growled lustfully as the three of them steered the 1st Child to the first of the three cylinders. The woman licked the lips of Rei's mouth as she looked at the bodies developing, shedding the appearance of Rei Ayanami, and taking on the appearance of Naoko Akagi. _Oh, yeah, you were right! Goodbye, albino freaks! Hello, sweet new bodies!_

_Hurry! There's not much time,_ the mother pleaded as Rei continued to awaken.

_This one is yours,_ the scientist informed the woman as they moved to one of the cylinders. _Go now, and take it._

_With pleasure! Later, losers!_ the woman growled as Rei's hand was placed upon the glassy surface. At this, the first fragment of Naoko jumped into the cylinder, and flowed into the new body presented her.

_We…we can't keep her under control for much longer, with just the two of us,_ the scientist grunted. _We must leave to our new bodies at the same time!_

_Yes,_ the mother agreed, and between the two of them, they were able to position Rei between the other two cylinders, and force her to reach and touch them both.

_The one on the right is yours, the left, mine,_ the scientist explained.

_Right!_ the mother replied, jumping from Rei's body just as the other aspect did the same, leaving the blue-haired girl to fall to the floor.

"What…is going on?" Rei asked herself as she stirred to full awareness. Shaking her head, and wincing at the dizziness that resulted, the 1st Child looked about, and realized where she was. "How is this possible? How did I…arrive here?"

As Rei tried to remember what had happened before her arrival in the cloning lab, she looked at the three cloning chambers, a slight noise of confusion issuing from her lips. Before her very eyes, three Naoko Akagis were taking shape. The one on the left looked identical to the one who had murdered the albino in her previous incarnation, sans the darkness that seemed to be flowing from her body. The one at the center had a gentler appearance, and seemed to glow with a warm light. And as for the one on the right…

Before Rei's eyes, the final Naoko's body bulged with muscles, her feminine attributes expanding as well, while black and white ooze appeared from her skin, covering her entirely. Then, just before ragged patches of white obscured her eyes, they shot open, and settled mercilessly on the blue-haired girl. The third Naoko's mouth expanded into an impossible grin, filled with horrifying, gnashing teeth, as she flexed her muscles and smashed her way out of the chamber!

"I don't care what Ms. Goody-Two-Shoes and Dr. Brainiac say, this is just too good to pass up!" the monstrous beast snarled in Naoko's voice.

Filled with the same fear she had felt on the day she had 'died', Rei started scrambling away, but it was in vain. The bestial Naoko was quickly upon her, her claws cutting into Rei's cheek as she held her down effortlessly. "I'm gonna enjoy this. I'm gonna eat your fucking brain, just for looking like that whore, Yui!"

Just as the beast opened its horrific maw wide, the sound of glass shattering filled their ears. "No, you will _not!_" came the voice of the mother, just as two bolts of light slammed into the woman's back, sending her toppling off of Rei.

Looking toward the source of the light, Rei was stunned to see that her savior was another Naoko Akagi, her once-nude form sheathed in a skin-tight white garment that seemed to be made of pure light. As she floated to the frightened girl, she smiled with such incredible warmth that it was impossible to overlook, before she knelt down and scooped her up in her arms. "You poor little thing. You must have been so scared…" the mother beamed as she cradled Rei like a tiny baby.

"Put her down, or I'll _make you!"_ the woman snarled. "I don't care _what_ you two think, that bitch dies today _for the last time!"_

As the mother floated away, clutching Rei protectively, the sound of glass shattering was once again heard, and the cloning lab was filled with billowing darkness. "We warned against your madness. We told you that to act impulsively would be to bring about our downfall, as it had in the past," the scientist stated. "It is fortunate that I had planned for such an event."

"What's that supposed to mean? Stop talking nonsense before I eat the both of you!" the woman snarled, leaping at the two of them.

Her assault was never completed, for the scientist ensnared her with bands of the darkness that cloaked her body. "We have already seen the folly of allowing you dominance. You are uncontrollable when independent, so I created restraints within you, within all of us."

"What are you -?" the mother wondered, but then gasped as she felt something tugging at her. Dropping Rei in shock, the mother found herself being drawn towards the scientist. "W-what is this?! What are you _doing_ to us?!"

"Uncontrolled emotion doomed us once before. It was logical to assume that it could do so again," the scientist explained even as the other two aspects were drawn towards her. "That was why I decided to give our bodies one special ability that I never told you of; the ability to recombine into one form, one mind. A mind that will not allow us to fight and kill each other."

"_What?!!"_ the woman shrilled in horror. "_No!! I'm not going back to that!!"_

"Please, don't do this!" the mother pleaded. "I can't have that…that _monster_ in my mind again!"

"It is not my first choice, but it remains necessary," the scientist explained. "We have come too far to fail now, and without restraints, you two will certainly bring about our downfall. Though we remain three, we must still act…as one."

As Rei watched in awestruck silence, the mother was drawn into the cloak of darkness, which settled about her easily. Then, as the mother ceased to struggle, the woman's body began to melt away, dissolving into the ooze that appeared from her skin. The ooze then began to flow up the body of the mother, covering her light with a mix of black and white. When the eyes of the rejoined woman opened, all three aspects of her mind were visible, just as her cloak and garments shifted and changed, becoming a lab coat, blouse, skirt, and shoes.

Frowning slightly, Naoko Akagi whispered, "For the first time in years…we are whole again. But we can no longer afford to allow emotion to rule us entirely. Every decision that is made will be based primarily out of logic…and compassion." Then, casting her eyes on Rei, she sent out streamers of black ooze at the blue-haired girl, lifting her off the ground and drawing her close. "At one time, we killed you, and in that moment, we were destroyed ourselves. Though we still feel a measure of hate for you, you are not our real enemy. It is the one you blindly serve…just as we…_I_ once did."

Charging her hand with light energy, Naoko Akagi waved it across Rei's eyes, causing her to pass out. "There. Now, when you awaken, you will think this nothing but a dream," she murmured. Then, she sighed as she examined the three shattered cylinders. "Now, we'd better clean this mess up, and quickly. We can't afford to be discovered now."

As Naoko began the onerous task of disguising her liberation from the Eva, she found herself in deep thought. "You know, over the years, we never thought it necessary to name ourselves, since we were all Naoko. Even as we grew more distant, it never occurred that we should need names, other than scientist, mother, and woman. But now…I think it would only be appropriate to name ourselves." That thought in mind, Naoko continued her efforts, thinking of names appropriate for her splintered persona…

* * *

One of the benefits of having full, unobstructed access to the MAGI was being able to establish a new identity. In anticipation of her liberation, Naoko had made certain arrangements; an apartment where she could live and work comfortably, as well as several hidden accounts that would see to her various needs for a very long time. Smiling at the various tweaks she had made to her gene sequences, Naoko thought of how long a time she would have to explore her new life.

After using one of her new powers to simply teleport from the depths of NERV to her new apartment, Naoko found herself smiling. All of her furniture and new lab equipment had been delivered, and all of it had been made to her specifications. "Excellent," she purred. "Everything's going perfectly. And now…it's time for us to go to work."

With those words, Naoko quickly separated into her three component personalities. As the scientist looked at the other two, her face was stern. "I must work undistracted now, so you two can do as you please this night, as long as you do nothing to betray our secrets."

"_Yes!!"_ the woman cried out in to delight. "Oh, I've been waiting for this day for _years!_ Bring on the booze and the men! I've got a hot new body, and I can't wait to use it!"

"More like _abuse it_, Venom!" the mother sniped, invoking the woman's new name. Naoko had chosen it because her own womanly aspect had poisoned her mind so completely, and led her to murder. Venom's body had been infused with nanites from the 11th Angel, allowing her to change shape and absorb organic materials directly as a form of sustenance.

"Aw, don't spoil this night for me, Dagger!" Venom oozed eagerly. Naoko had chosen the mother aspect's name for the simple fact that her morality had cut into her so deeply, that she had leapt to her death, rather than deal with the fact that she had become a murderer. A gentle woman who drew her powers from the DNA of the 5th Angel. "You do your thing, I'll do mine, and we'll stay the hell out of each other's way!"

Dagger frowned disgustedly at Venom's eagerness. "Just don't forget what Cloak told us," she scolded, using the name given the scientist, chosen because of the shroud of darkness that she employed, whose main powers came from the 12th Angel. "Don't do anything that would betray us. We've already died once. I am in no hurry to die again."

"Now _that's_ one thing on which we agree," Venom noted dryly. "Come on! Let's get the hell out of here! The night's young, and now, so are we!!" Unwilling to wait any longer, Venom collapsed into a puddle of black ooze, and began to flow out the door, disappearing from sight.

Sighing, Dagger turned to look at Cloak. "I hate to admit it, but…the company of a good man would be nice," she admitted. "A good husband, someone who can help raise a child…"

"That can wait until our work is done," Cloak replied as she went to the computers. "For now, I have more important matters to attend to."

Realizing that Cloak would not be interested in further conversation, Dagger turned to leave. Before she did so, however, she looked over her shoulder, and frowned. "Your work _always_ took precedence over everything else. That is one of the reasons we failed Ritsuko so horribly." This said, Dagger left Cloak behind. Once alone, the scientist frowned slightly before turning to the computer. Emotions were unimportant. Her work…_that_ was everything.

* * *

As Ryoji Kaji sidled up to his favorite bar in Tokyo-3, he couldn't help but sigh. Though he had managed to hook up with Misato once again, he had to admit that things were still on very shaky ground with her. He knew that the main reason she had conceded to rekindle their relationship was mainly because she hadn't found anyone else that she found suitable.

_Besides, I'm probably gonna wind up dead before everything's said and done, anyway,_ Kaji thought ruefully. It was something that he had accepted some time ago; he was a spy in dangerous territory, and people in his line of work rarely died peaceful deaths. The only real regret he felt at this was the fact that Misato would once again be left alone. _Oh, well. She'll probably land on her feet. She always does. And she has Shinji and Asuka with her; I'm sure she'll be fine._

As Kaji entered the door of the bar, he heard a female voice crying out, "Aw, yeah! Bring it on!" Frowning in confusion, Kaji looked around, only to have his eyes balloon at the sight of the voluptuous beauty he saw leaning with her back to the bar, wearing an incredibly slinky dress that couldn't hide her figure even if it tried. She was presently chugging down a bottle of beer, the latest of several such beers, judging from the condition of the bar. As the other barflies watched in awe, the woman drained the bottle in its entirety, slammed it down on the counter, and wiped her mouth happily. "Yes! This is what I've been missing! Booze and lots of it! All I really need now is…" As the woman looked around cheerfully, her eyes locked with Kaji's, at which point her smile deepened. "Well, well. Just what the doctor ordered…"

"Well…hello there…" Kaji spoke uneasily, stunned by the predatory gleam in the woman's eyes. However, what really grabbed his attention was that he felt like he had met her someplace before. _She looks a bit like Ritsuko, only this lady filled out a _lot_ better!_

As the woman sauntered up to Kaji, she ran her hand across his chest. "Hmm…good muscle tone, a handsome face, good teeth. I bet a guy like you must go a long way," she purred seductively. "Yes, you'll do quite nicely."

"Um…" Kaji sputtered. _This is supposed to go the other way around!_ he thought helplessly as the woman shoved her chest into him. "And…who would you be?"

"Me? I'm poison. Pretty to look at, safe to touch…but I can still kill you, just the same," the woman grinned. "And…I've got a very serious itch to scratch…and I need someone who can reach it. Think you've got what it takes?"

"Well, uh…" Kaji responded, completely taken aback by the woman's blatant advances. "Actually…"

"If you're going to tell you've already got a girl, don't waste your time," the woman smiled dangerously as she took hold of Kaji's shoulders and started backing him out of the bar. "I've never let that stop me in the past, and there's no way I'm going to let it stop me tonight."

Sighing, Kaji smiled, admitting defeat. _I came here to forget about everything…and I guess this is as good a way as any,_ he decided, never been one to worry too much about the consequences of his actions anyway. _Besides…there's something about this lady that's a serious turn-on._

"Okay, you win," Kaji replied, shrugging helplessly. "So, I guess the only question left is…your place or mine?"

"Yours. Definitely yours," the woman smiled, licking her lips as she practically shoved Kaji out the door.

* * *

"God, what a shitty day," Ritsuko grumbled as she settled down for the night, looking at the lab results from work. "Three cloning chambers malfunction and explode, several tons of paperwork, and all that damage to the Evas…I must be getting older."

As the doctor sat back on her couch, tired of bringing her work home with her on such a regular basis, she felt her conversation wavering. With a frown, she set the paperwork on the coffee table, and shifted about on the couch. "I'll just take a five minute break, and then I'll get back to work," Ritsuko told herself as she lay down. She fell asleep the instant her head touched the cushion.

As the head scientist of NERV slumbered, a being of light appeared in her apartment and floated over to Ritsuko's side. Miko, the resident cat, sniffed the air curiously as the newcomer silently landed on the floor. Smiling at the cat, the woman of light knelt down to give her a gentle scratching between the ears before returning her attention to her daughter.

"I'm sorry, Ritsuko," Dagger wept, tears appearing in her eyes as she caressed her cheek. "I'm sorry for all the times I was never there for you. I'm sorry for leaving you in the clutches of that awful monster."

As her daughter continued to sleep, Dagger shook her head mournfully. "You shouldn't have to suffer this way. You, nor the children, deserve such pain, and…no matter what happens to me, I won't let it continue. I promise…I will free you all from Gendo. I promise."

"Gendo…" Ritsuko groaned, causing Dagger to flinch in surprise. Then, she watched as her daughter shifted uncomfortably about, "No…no more, please…please, don't…"

Practically in tears at seeing her beloved child in such a state, Dagger caressed Ritsuko with light, doing everything she could to ease her pain. "I'm sorry," she murmured before leaving to fetch a blanket from the faux-blonde's bedroom, which she draped over Ritsuko's slumbering form. "I know I can't expect forgiveness for everything we've…_I've _done, but…I'm sorry, Ritsuko. Sorry beyond my ability to say." These things said, Dagger remained long enough to plant a single kiss on her daughter's cheek, delighted when this caused a slight smile to appear on her face. Then, knowing that she couldn't risk being detected, she left as silently as she had arrived.

That night, as Shinji, Asuka, and Rei slumbered, they were unaware of the gentle being that appeared in their rooms, apologizing for all the pain they had suffered, and the role she had played in it. They were unaware of their blankets being straightened out, of loving kisses being placed upon their cheeks, and the promise to end their pain, so that they may have a future.

The next morning, they woke in surprise, feeling strangely comfortable. As for Ritsuko, upon finding herself being covered by a blanket, she frowned and tried to remember getting the blanket, only to fail. Ultimately, she decided she must have fetched the blanket and forgotten about it in her exhaustion. After taking a moment to lecture herself about being so lazy, she had breakfast and got ready to go to work. However, during the drive to NERV, she couldn't lose the slight smile upon her lips, or the feeling of peace and contentment she now had.

* * *

"You're finally back," Cloak noted as Venom dragged herself in early the next morning, the shape-changing beast barely conscious as she took shape inside their apartment. "I trust that you enjoyed yourself?"

"You trust correctly! God, what a night!" Venom muttered happily, belching as she staggered into the living room and collapsed onto the couch. "And what a _man!_ I'm gonna have to have him again, sometime! I swear, he was wasted on that whore Misato!"

Rolling her eyes at the debaucheries and uncivil nature of her fellow aspect, Cloak returned to her work, only to be distracted once again by the arrival of Dagger. "And how are you this morning?" she asked of the woman of light.

"More determined than ever to put an end to Gendo and SEELE," Dagger responded.

"Geez, don't you ever lighten up?!" Venom wondered shaking her head in disbelief.

"Be silent, you two," Cloak frowned as she continued to work on the keyboard. Then, with a final series of keytaps, she gave a smile of satisfaction. "There, it is done. Soon, all of the information that had been stored in the MAGI regarding SEELE and NERV will be sent to the UN, and they won't be aware of what had happened until it is too late to stop it."

"Ha _ha!_ Damn, that's great!!" Venom chortled. "And with the MP Evas so far from being ready, SEELE won't be able to do anything but run like the decrepit rat bastards they are, until they get their goddamn brains blown out!"

"But…what the people at NERV? The children, and the innocents? What about Ritsuko?" Dagger protested. "If the army is mobilized against them…"

"Then they will still have the Evangelions to defend themselves with, at least until they manage to convince the military of their innocence," Cloak stated, something that Dagger had to admit made sense. "That still leaves Gendo and Adam. Until both are destroyed, we are still at risk of Third Impact."

"In other words, I get to eat Gendo's brains!" Venom grinned viciously, rubbing her hands together in delight.

Wrinkling her face at this, Dagger grudged, "Though I don't care for Venom's attitude, I agree that we have to deal with Gendo before he has a chance to get away. If he learns of what you've done…"

"He will escape, and potentially remain in a position in which he can do us great harm," Cloak agreed, standing from the computer. "Which means that the time has come for us to end his madness. Once and for all."

"Good…" Venom hissed, licking her lips as she imagined herself gorging on Gendo's gray matter.

"Then let us do it, and be done with it," Dagger agreed sadly.

"We have concurrence," Cloak noted, nodding slightly. "Then, tonight…we will make an end to this."

* * *

Later that night, the three pieces of Naoko Akagi were standing within the woods, close enough to see the sprawling estate that was Gendo's home, but not close enough to be seen themselves. "Cloak, what are you doing?" Dagger wondered, examining the security forces down below. "I thought you were going to teleport inside of his house, not outside!"

"That _was_ my intention," Cloak responded, frowning uncertainly. "However, as we drew closer to this place, I felt…something force us to fall out of the Dirac Sea before we had reached this point."

"How's that possible?!" Venom snarled. "Is it Adam?"

Cloak seemed to consider that for a time. "It would seem possible," she finally conceded. "Because of the divergent powers involved in our teleportation, an outside power could theoretically disrupt it, forcing us into normal space. Now, if it had been just one of us, then…"

"Eh, who cares? This way works much better for me, anyway!" Venom hissed eagerly, rubbing her palms together as she scrutinized the security forces down below. "At least this way…we get to have some fun before working our way up to the main course!"

"There is nothing fun about this! We are doing what we are doing for the sake of humanity's survival!" Dagger countered, frowning hatefully.

"Aw, don't be such a spoilsport!" Venom hissed, her monstrous swishing about her mouth in delight. "Frankly, I was planning on killing all those bastards down there, just for the hell of it!"

"You will _burn_ in Hell!" Dagger cried out. "And so will we, just for having been one with you!"

"Enough arguing, you two," Cloak scolded them. "We have a task to accomplish, regardless our various motivations. We must strike silently and swiftly, lest Gendo become aware of our activities and attempt to elude us!"

"And we can't have that now, can we?" Venom asked rhetorically. "Okay, fine, I can do quiet. It won't be as much fun, but…"

Sighing, Dagger shook her head morosely. "Let us just put an end to this madness. Just looking at this horrid place leaves me feeling soiled."

"Hey, don't knock it 'til you've tried it!" Venom chortled.

"Silence!" Cloak issued, stopping the bickering of the other two. "Do we have concurrence?" As the other aspects looked at each, their mutual loathing clear in their faces, they slowly turned to Cloak and nodded. "Good. Let us proceed, then. Venom, you will make the first assault. Get in there and disable the security fence."

"With pleasure…" the ebon monster hissed, collapsing into a puddle of ooze that quickly poured away from the other two, trickling down the hill towards the estate.

The first obstacle was the electrified fence, something Venom knew she wouldn't enjoy. So, exercising an unusual amount of caution, she sent tiny streamers of her substance through the holes in the fence, careful not to touch the metal. It took over a minute for her to bypass the first layer of Gendo's security, but eventually, it was done.

Once inside, Venom looked around, seeing all of the pathetic men walking about, toting their fancy weapons, so certain that they had nothing to fear. _It would so easy…_ she thought, picturing herself falling upon the weaklings, ripping them limb from limb, absorbing them into her body so that she could feed on their energies, or better yet, to go in and slay Gendo on her own. Screw sharing him with the other two!

_Venom, do not waste time,_ Cloak's voice sounded in Venom's mind, causing the volatile beast to sigh in disappointment. Cloak's precautions still held sway over her; she could tell that the tight-assed brainiac was watching for the slightest sign of trouble, waiting to shut her down and pull her back if she didn't follow her shitty plan.

_Fine, we'll do it _your_ way…_ Venom growled disdainfully, and so she began to trickle across the ground, searching for the guard station. _Now, if I were the controls for an electric fence, where would I be hiding, hmm?_

Wandering about the perimeter of the fence, careful to avoid being detected (despite the ever-present temptation to leap upon one of the guards and eat his spleen), Venom finally found a likely candidate; the guard station by the driveway leading to Gendo's mansion, which was positioned by the only opening in the fence. It was too well lit for anyone to sneak in through without being detected, but she soon found a safe path leading up to the tiny station, which was occupied by a single guard.

_Hmm, I'd bet just about anything that this moron is working on a sudoku puzzle,_ Venom sniffed as she moved closer, eventually oozing through the door itself. Once enough of her substance was through the door, she sent streamers of her flesh running up the guard's legs, dragging him down to the floor.

"What the -?!" he squawked, but was cut off as Venom wrapped about his mouth. As she continued to wrap herself about her hapless victim, she consumed him entirely, making sure that his interrupted sentence would be the very last thing he said.

Once she was done feasting, Venom rose up and looked at the control panel before her. _Hmph, I was right!_ she grinned upon seeing the newspaper spread open before her. _And just for the record, moron, you used nine _twice_ on this one line! Not that it makes much of a difference at this point!_ Grinning at her little joke, Venom quickly searched the controls, looking for the appropriate 'off' button. Her impatience quickly getting the better of her, she finally decided, 'The hell with it', and simply threw every last one of them.

As several searchlights cut out, causing noises of confusion to rise up from the guards, Dagger groaned in frustration. "I _knew_ we couldn't rely on _her!"_

"At the very least, this distraction should provide us with the opportunity we require," Cloak stated, hiding the dismay she herself felt. "Come, let us go. But don't fly; we must make the most of the element of surprise."

"Right," Dagger agreed as she began running down the hill, her shadowy comrade following close behind. As soon as they reached the fence, Cloak used her shroud of darkness to tear through the fence. Though there was some noise at this, no alarm was sounded, and the general confusion swallowed up the sound of their activities. The two costumed women then continued through, ready to battle.

"You deal with the guards. I will locate Gendo and silence him," Cloak ordered, logically deciding that she had a far better chance of slipping into the sprawling mansion undetected than her light-empowered other.

"Right!" Dagger replied as she charged three guards, whipping knives of light at them. The bolts of energy slammed into their backs, instantly rendering them unconscious.

* * *

"What is going _on_ out there?!" Gendo demanded, frowning hatefully at the noise coming from outside. Going to a window, he scanned his surroundings, unable to make sense of what he was seeing. There were several bursts of light in one area, and the sound of men screaming coming from elsewhere, but beyond that, he was able to see nothing.

Not liking the situation, Gendo decided it would be best to be somewhere else for the foreseeable future. Fortunately, as the commander of NERV, he was afforded many luxuries, like access to fortified shelters across Japan. A quick drive would soon put him out of harm's way, after arranging for an escort.

As Gendo started downstairs, fully intent on making his plans reality, he was stopped dead in his tracks by the sight of a woman standing in his way. "Gendo Ikari," she stated flatly, her cloak flowing to a non-existent breeze. "It has been some time, hasn't it?"

Blinking twice, Gendo frowned at the woman. "That voice…" he gasped, cocking his head so as to get a better look at the woman's face, which was obscured by the woman's hood. "I know that voice…"

"Yes, you do," the woman spoke simply. Then, before Gendo's eyes, her cloak rippled, sending out tendrils of pure darkness at him. Startled from his confusion, Gendo turned and ran in the opposite direction, all of his plans lost in his haste to escape from his home.

"There is no escaping me, Gendo Ikari," Cloak called out, hoping that her words would startle him into making a mistake. He continued to run, however, and she followed, wasting no further words on him. Though Gendo was fit and fast for a man of his age, he could not fly, could not elude the darkness that shrouded her.

He was doomed…or so Cloak thought until she turned a corner to follow him, only to find herself confronted by half a dozen security guards. _"Kill her!!!"_ Gendo ordered as he rushed past them, leaving the guards to cock their guns and fire.

Frowning in disgust, Cloak sent her darkness upon the guards, unconcerned by the bullets. Her cloak was a Dirac Sea itself, and swallowed the ammunition harmlessly. However, even as she enveloped the guards in it, she realized that they had served their purpose. They had slowed her down, and now Gendo Ikari was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

_Dagger, Gendo has eluded me._ As Dagger heard these words in her mind, she gasped in horror, even as she hurled more of her light-knives at the enemy. _He must be heading for his car. I will attempt to intercept, but if I fail, you and Venom must stop him!_

"Understood," Dagger muttered aloud, searching for the depraved aspect of Naoko Akagi. Then, focusing her thoughts on the link they shared, she mentally cried out, _Venom!!_

"Huh? Hey, what do you want?!" came the coarse voice of the maddened creature. Turning to look at the source, Dagger blanched as she saw the muscular creature moving towards her, blood coursing down her entire body. "What are you doing, bitch, interrupting my fun 'n' games?!"

"This is no game, Venom!" Dagger growled. "Cloak lost Gendo, and now he's getting away!"

The patches of white that served as Venom's eyes expanded in shock at this. "You mean…_she_ tried to kill him without _me?!_ I'll eat that bitch's heart for that!!"

"You will do no such thing, or have you already forgotten the nature of our link?!" Dagger lectured. "Now, come on! We have to stop Gendo before he can escape!"

"Hmph! It's about time you started talking sense!" Venom snarled as the two of them rushed towards the garage where Gendo's various cars were kept, dispensing with any adversaries they encountered along the way via light-knives, as well as teeth and claws.

"There it is!" Dagger called out as their objective drew within sight. Flying ahead, Dagger was almost there when Gendo's car burst through the garage door, the commander of NERV at the wheel.

"Oh, no, you don't!" the gentle mother roared, thinking of her daughter and all of the other children hurt by her former lover's manipulations. Without hesitation, she whipped out several light-knives at his car, popping all four tires simultaneously.

Venom laughed uproariously at the sight of Gendo's car skidding about helplessly before flipping over with a resounding crash. "Nice move, for once! Just as long as you didn't kill him, of course! That's one pleasure I've reserved for myself!"

"You reserve _all_ pleasures for yourself," Dagger sniped as she floated down to the earth, noticing the shifting darkness that marked Cloak's arrival.

"I see you were successful in intercepting him," Cloak noted with a measure of humor.

"Yeah, more successful than you were!" Venom sneered, delighting in the fact that the last of the guards had decided that they simply weren't paid enough to fight three superwomen, and began fleeing for their lives.

"True," Cloak admitted as Venom moved up to the car, and effortlessly flipped it back onto its wheels. Once this was done, she ripped the roof of the car off, revealing a stunned and bloodied Gendo Ikari for them to see.

Looking about dazedly, the first of the three aspects Gendo looked upon was Dagger. His eyes fluttering, Gendo shook his head, and slowly regained his bearings. "What in the…?" his rasped in growing fear and confusion, his eyes widening. "N…Naoko?!"

"Yes. We were Naoko Akagi," Dagger intoned somberly.

"Though you liked to call us 'that old hag'!!" Venom snarled, licking her lips in anticipation of her feast. "Remember that, asshole?!"

"But…how…?" Gendo wondered, shaking his head at the reality of three Naoko Akagi's standing before him.

"We will explain all to you, before sending you to the abyss you tricked us into," Cloak intoned, the shroud of darkness she commanded moving to surround all three of them. "We will show you what we suffered in the sea of my cloak, where the darkness will engulf you, instilling you with the fear you have made so many others felt."

"And for all the children you hurt, including our _daughter_, I will gladly make you feel the light of retribution," Dagger growled, hatred erasing the gentleness of her features.

Just before the darkness of Cloak had completely surrounded them, Venom hopped on top of the car's hood, looked Gendo squarely in the eyes before caressing his face with her lengthy tongue, sending his glasses falling to the earth. _"And then I'll eat your brains!!"_

Gendo had no time to scream, no time to protest before he was completely engulfed. And then, in a flash of light and darkness…they were gone.

* * *

The next day, Section 2 was dispatched to investigate what had happened at Gendo's home, but they found little in the way of answers. There were many dead bodies, and many people who had been simply disabled, and told Section 2 wild stories about women of light and darkness. However, of Gendo Ikari himself, there was nothing. Nothing…save for his glasses.

A great many things then happened, the first of which being that the UN took command of NERV, thoroughly investigating the shady organization. It took some time, and many people were executed before everything was said and done, but the continued threat of the Angels forced them to settle matters quickly.

Fuyutsuki quickly revealed to the UN investigators everything that had happened under Gendo's sway before standing down as Sub Commander. At this point, and with Gendo gone and no one else familiar enough to take his place, Misato was made Commander of NERV. When she learned of Kaji's involvement in Gendo's plans, she had sworn rapidly and repeatedly, vowing to kill him if she ever saw him again.

Though Shinji was saddened by his father's passing, the company of his friends helped him through it, and soon the boy was far happier and healthier than ever, helping to put an end to the Angels once and for all.

With Gendo's disappearance, Ritsuko began dating, and struck up a relationship with Makoto Hyuga, one of the technicians at NERV. Though she was given a hard time for her role in NERV, like so many others, she was far happier than ever, though she was at a loss to explain why.

Rei was questioned and practically placed under house arrest when her Angelic heritage was uncovered, but Ritsuko and the others were eventually able to convince the UN that all she wanted was to live in peace. When the Angels were finally gone, Rei decided that she wanted to do something with her life, to travel and see the world. Asuka, who decided that the time had come to visit Germany, invited the albino to join her, an invitation she happily accepted.

Disgusted with Kaji and fed up with a great many things, Misato found herself at a loss as to what to do with her life when the last Angel was killed. However, when Shinji inherited Gendo's vast fortune, he settled down in a peaceful country home several miles from Tokyo-3, and invited Misato to join him there. The purple-haired woman was delighted to join him, and the two eventually married.

As for the splintered Naoko Akagi, she had her fill of many things, and decided to move away, to start over. Though she kept track of Ritsuko, she knew that she could never make amends for all the pain she had caused her daughter, and was contented to know that she was now happy. And within her mind, Cloak continued to work tirelessly, pursuing one scientific innovation after another, leaving the aspects known as Dagger and Venom chiefly in control of their shared body. While Venom became a party girl that put Misato to shame, striking up a relationship with Kaji, Dagger was soon very happy, for she soon became a mother again…

* * *

Author's Notes: And here comes mother number two. Two one-shots down, one to go! Please, read and review. And check out my other stories as well, please!

Now, I've done some wondering about the soul inside of Unit 00, as to whether it was Naoko or a piece of Rei, but then I had a thought; why couldn't it be both? As we've seen when Shinji was absorbed by Unit 01, it's not like there isn't room for two complete souls, let alone one soul and one partial soul.

Now, as for my choice of superpowers for Naoko, I decided to make a homage to the MAGI, and divide her into three superheroes. As for the ones I chose, I thought it would be great to have her become ones linked to Spider-Man, since I've given Ritsuko spider-powers in her own story. Now, Cloak and Dagger are old friends of Spidey, and they've fought alongside each other in the past. As for throwing Venom into the mix, I recalled how much Ritsuko hated Naoko as a woman, even dying her hair to help differ their appearances, and turning the woman part of Naoko into the original anti-Spidey just seemed to speak to me.

Now, just for the record, I don't have any woman issues (well, no more than most guys would), but considering just how badly Naoko flipped out over what Rei I said, I have to imagine that there's some serious instability there to begin with. Something that would grow even worse as the different parts of her mind became more distinct.

As for pairing Kaji up with Naoko, remember that she's covered her tracks, and created a new identity for herself, so Kaji doesn't know she's Ritsuko's mother. Besides, despite the fact that I hate his guts, I figured it couldn't hurt to give him a happy ending.

Anyway, until next time.


End file.
